Funny Little Fate
by smoke-at-dawn
Summary: Misaki and Usui haven't seen each other for 10 years, so when fate throws them together again how will they react?
1. Proposal

_You thought all this time that I never missed you,  
><em>

_Coming back,_

_Give it your life,_

_This is your rescue_

It's been 10 years since that night, when everything changed, and Misaki Ayuzawa, now a high-class lawyer, has just been proposed to.  
>She stares at the large, gaudy ring in its ridiculously plush bedding and forces herself not to cry. Regardless, tears stream down her cheeks "oh God," Hinata buries his face in his hands, resting his elbow on his knee "it's too much! I knew I should've gone for a more subtle approach"<p>

"No!" Misaki reached out and pulled his head up so she's looking into his eyes, desperately hoping he doesn't see the disappointment in hers "you've done nothing wrong. I'm just really happy" she smiles weakly and hopes it's enough to convince him. It is; Hinata grins and leaps back onto his chair, eagerly opening the menu of the restaurant and scanning the pages at expert speed. Misaki smiled again and swallowed, struggling to shift the lump that had lodged in her throat and ignoring the twists that were increasing rapidly in her stomach. She looked down at the ring in her lap and closed her eyes; _plip__plop_ sounded her tears on the case, leaving behind dark stains on the satin as they dried

"Misaki?" a soft voice from across the table reaches out a comforting hand, she quickly wipes her face and smiles at Hinata, she should pretend to be happy, even though she feels like she falling into an abyss.

"I'm just really happy" she repeats, he smiles back and returns to the menu while Misaki hides the ring in her pocket, hoping to forget all about it for the moment.


	2. Memories

There was a biting breeze in the air of Tokyo, the usual grey faced commuters were in all the more of a rush to get to their dull occupations but Usui Takumi took pleasure in his leisurely pace, slowly filling his lungs with the air and tasting it as it lingered on his tongue, it felt cool and fresh and he stopped to revel in it a little while longer, ignorant of the world around him. However, his phone's shrill beep brought him crashing back to reality and with a sigh he made his way over to one of the tall glass buildings to waste another day.

A polite tap on the frosted window of Usui's door announced the arrival of his secretary "come in Nanami" he replied while absentmindedly twirling a pen in his fingers, the door opened to a tall, slim woman with long, dark hair clutching a clipboard

"I just wanted to remind you that you've got the lawyer coming in this afternoon about the pay cuts"

"Mhmm" Usui nodded

"And Yozura is leaving today to visit her parents in England"

"Mhmm"

"And Usui?"

"Mmm?"

"Please try to look interested when I talk to you"

He looked up at Nanami and smiled "sorry"; she grinned and walked out of the room closing the door behind her. Usui sat back in his chair and stared at the rotating ceiling fan, he felt himself slipping out of consciousness and closed his eyes as old memories bombarded his brain.

"_Please don't be bothered by it, I'm just another stalker"_

"_I'll come to save you as much as you want. I'll make you fall for me as much as you wish"_

"_It's the first time you have shown interest in me"_

"_If you lay your hands on her again… I'll tear your throat out"_

"_Just what am I to you now?"_

"_I like you, Ayuzawa"_

He sat up suddenly and shook his head _'__no __use __dwelling __on __the __past, __we __made __our __choices__'_, Usui got up, walked over to the switch and turned off the fan; it was getting too cold anyway.


	3. The Meeting

Misaki looked up at the towering building and sighed, pulling the lapels of her coat closer to her, she'd spent most of her lunch wondering why she'd even signed up for this case, she knew who the owner of the company was. _'__It__'__s__because__you__'__re__not__over__him.__You__miss__him__'_ teased the tiny voice in her mind

'_No,__'_ she shook her head furiously _'__it__'__s__been__10__years;__I'm__going__to__walk__in__there__and__face__this__like__an__adult__'_, but why were her hands shaking and where had these butterflies come from? "No!" Misaki shouted, quickly covering her mouth "I'm fine"; she bent down, picked up her briefcase and strode purposefully into the glossy reception.

The woman behind the desk smiled forcefully and pointed to a lift in the corner of the room after rapidly scribbling down Misaki's name and purpose, Misaki offered a smile in response and hurried over to the machine before its next set of passengers could disappear into the seemingly endless building. She caught the door just before it closed and immediately regretted her decision as her arrival was met with several grumbles from the occupants; she hid her burning cheeks in embarrassment and focused on watching the floors as they rushed by.

Finally, the door opened with a _bing_ onto Usui's level and she pushed out, apologising and refusing to meet anyone's eye. A beautiful, tall woman with dark hair rushed up to her and beamed "hi," she glanced at the clipboard she held "Miss Ayuzawa? I'm Nanami"

"Yes," Misaki nodded "nice to meet you"

The woman stepped away and started walking "Mr Takumi is right this way." Misaki grinned at Usui's formal name but quickly caught herself and followed Nanami down the long corridor, trying not to think it typical that he would have such an attractive assistant.

Nanami stopped next to a frosted door that read 'Mr Takami' and glanced through the window before whispering to Misaki "Usui can be a bit temperamental at times, and if he starts to look bored just keep on talking; something's bound to get through to him". Misaki nodded again and Nanami pushed down on the metal handle, opening the door to a figure leaning backwards in a chair with both feet on his desk. The feet were swung off the desk as Misaki entered and Usui sat up in his chair; putting himself in the direct sunlight, his hair glowed blonde and still fell into his eyes every now and then, as Misaki remembered it.

Nanami stood in the doorway "Usui, this is your lawyer"

"Thank you Nanami" He answered coldly, refusing to look in Misaki's direction, Nanami took the hint and left, closing the door behind her and leaving the room in an awkward silence.

After what felt like an age, Usui turned to Misaki "what are you doing here?"

"I'm your lawyer" she frowned

"Well I'm going to organise someone else" he picked up the phone on his desk and started dialling

"Why?" she demanded "What have I done?"

Usui put down the phone with a bang "what have you done? You tell me you love me and then I catch you kissing that Hinata guy! That's what you've done!"

"That was 10 years ago!" she shouts "and I didn't kiss him!"

He scoffs "right so I just completely imagined it then!"

"No! His grandfather had just died and he didn't have any other friends so he turned to me, he was crying and then he started telling me how much he loved me and then HE kissed ME! I tried calling you but you wouldn't answer so I assumed that you'd changed your mind, I even came round to your flat but you weren't there and your cat kept hissing at me. Then we graduated and I never saw you again!" Misaki paused, painfully aware that her face was getting redder by the minute; she looked down at the floor to hide her flooding eyes "you never told me where you went, you never spoke to me again", and with that she turned and ran out of room, into the lift and out of the building, desperately wiping away her tears.


	4. Reminice

Nanami poked her head around Usui's office door and smiled sympathetically; "I've contacted the firm, they're prepared to send another lawyer", Usui nodded in reply and she disappeared as she closed the door with a _click_. Leaning back in his chair, he threw his arm over his eyes and sighed _'__I__wasn__'__t__prepared,__'_ he groaned _'__I__shouldn__'__t__have__yelled__at__her__but-the__memories-__that__bleak__summer,__God!__' _Usui groaned again and, sitting upright, stared at his hands _'__I__need__to__see__her__again__'_. Suddenly, his head snapped up and he ran to the door, yanking it open just in time to see Nanami replace the phone on its base "no!" he slumped, defeated, on the doorframe

She looked up at him, confusion across her face "I thought you didn't like her?"

"No" he uselessly repeated

Nanami frowned "okay? Well they've found another case for her so she's unavailable anyway" she got up out of her plastic chair and walked down the corridor, Usui thought he heard her mutter something about him being ridiculous.

He glanced at Nanami's pad on the desk, full of scribbles and, without thinking, grabbed it, sauntered into his office and rapidly dialled the number for Misaki's firm on his phone. He was met with a dial tone; his stomach twisted and squeezed as the _beep__beep_ rang on, after what seems like an age someone picked up the phone "hello? Suzuki Lawyers, how can I help?"

Usui swallowed the lump in his throat "um, I'd like to speak to Misaki Ayuzawa please?" _'__Why__am__I__whispering?__'_ he frowned

"Certainly, may I ask whose calling?"

"Yes," Usui frantically searched his mind for a name "tell her it's Hinata Shintani calling" and, gritting his teeth at his choice, waited impatiently while he was diverted, he tried hard not to by annoyed by the lift music which played relentlessly in the background.

"Hinata?" Misaki said suddenly "I've told you not to call me at work"

"It's not Hinata… its Usui"

"Usui? Why are you calling me?"

"I wanted to apologise, for being so rude"

There was an excruciating pause "that's okay, I'm sorry for running out on you, it was childish"

Usui laughed "hey, it was a shock for both of us"

"Yeah but it's been 10 years now, we should be past that"

"I dove off the school roof for you!"

He heard Misaki chuckle at the other end "I know, I'm still shocked at that!"

Usui laughed again "and the Little Sister Day at the café"

"God don't remind me" he pictured her smiling

"Do you still see them?"

"Sometimes," she sounded a bit forlorn "but only Satsuki, and Maid Latte hasn't been going so well apparently"

"That's a shame," Usui felt terrible for Satsuki, she loved that café "I wonder how Aoi is doing" he added sarcastically

"Fine, the last I heard. Still a net idol" he almost heard her rolling her eyes

Nanami's silhouette passed by his window "I'd better go before Nanami notices her notepad missing but… I hope you can still take my case"

Misaki paused "…I, I will, yes"

Usui grinned "good, come into my office tomorrow and we can talk through it"

"Okay"

"Oh, and Misaki?"

"Yes?"

"I promise not to shout at you this time"

She laughed and hung up, Usui smiled at the receiver in his hand for a moment before placing it gently back onto its stand and quickly hiding Nanami's pad in his drawer.

As if reading his mind; she knocked on his door and, not bothering to wait for an answer, walked into the room looking greatly confused "Usui, have you seen the notepad that was on my desk?"

Feigning innocence, he shook his head; Nanami frowned and strode back to her desk.

Usui vowed to return it in the morning.


	5. Rescue

Misaki smiled as she walked home, not hurrying like the rest of the world around her; scurrying as if they were mice under the floorboards, but taking her time. She inhaled slowly the smell of the city, as disgusting as it may sound; she loved it, the smoke and dirt were her home, and were made even more perfect with the knowledge that Usui lived here too, _'maybe he walks the same route as me!'_ Misaki mentally kicked herself _'of course he does, this is the only way to the underground station, idiot'._

"I wonder what his stop is?" she thought, blushing when she realised she'd said that aloud, she brought her hand up to her face to cover her cheeks when she caught sight of the ring on her left hand; her stomach plummeted and she stood still, hiding her face in her hands _'God I cant do this! I can't go running after something that ended ten years ago!'_

Another voice whispered _'but you're not running after it, you're doing your job. Besides, it didn't really end between you did it? It was only postponed for a while'_. Miskai smiled weakly, hoping this reasoning would be enough to get her through, at least, the rest of the day, and continued to walk…

Then, gloved hands ripped her from her thoughts and down a deserted alleyway, she screamed and struggled, _'oh God' _she repeated in her head as he dragged Misaki into a secluded corner, far away from any help, and threw her to the ground _'okay, remember, focus'_, she brought up her knee to kick him in the crotch but he'd anticipated the move and grabbed her ankle roughly, laughing menacingly under his breath. She wriggled her foot, trying desperately to loosen his grip, _'he's too strong!'_ terror and panic overwhelmed her as she writhed. The attacker tightened his grip on her ankle and laughed as she screamed in pain, Misaki peered through the blackness of his mask to get a glimpse of their face but he was too well concealed. She snapped back her arm but her fist was caught in mid-air, the person squeezed her hand and ankle before letting go and turning away to unbuckle his trousers. "NO!" she screamed, blood roared in her ears and her heart raced, kicking out her leg again, the man caught it and grinned

"You just never learn do you? Anyone would think you're enjoying this"

"NO!" she shouted again and kicked her leg, he pushed her to the pavement, still holding her leg, and started to trail his hand up her thigh. He was heavy and sweating, Misaki felt like she was going to be sick and prayed that she wouldn't pass out; God knows what he would do to her then. His other hand then moved up to her blouse and started slowly undoing the buttons, she willed herself to be strong and seized back her arm when—

Usui sped down the alleyway and whacked the guy on the side of his face, he stumbled backwards swearing and looking around for the culprit; he saw Usui and ran towards him only to be met with another punch. He was pinned to the floor as he struggled to fight off Usui who repeatedly battered him "Usui!" Miskai tried to stand up and bit her lip as red hot pain seared up from her ankle threatening tears, she hobbled over to Usui and pulled him weakly "Usui, stop! He's unconscious, stop!" Usui's head snapped up to face Miskai and his expression turned from anger to concern instantly

"God, Misaki, are you okay?" he leapt off the man and slid one arm underneath Misaki's legs and the other held her lightly on her back as he lifted her off her ankle into his arms

"No," she pushed, jumping down onto her damaged ankle, she winced and closed her eyes "I'm fine". She hobbled up the alley towards the busy street where she could walk away and just forget about everything for a few hours

Usui ran after her and blocked her path, glaring at her with determination "No you are not, I _will_ carry you home whether you like it or not"

"Usui…" she started; in one swift movement Usui scooped Miskai up into his arms and started to walk without a word, she pointed to where the stranger lay motionless on the pavement "what about him". A dark liquid was spreading rapidly from his head and she tried no to focus on what it was, or what it could mean.

Usui looked down at the body with distain "we'll get you home and then I'll call the police, he's not going anywhere anytime soon". Feebly, Misaki nodded, suddenly feeling drowsy "you can go to sleep" he soothed "I've got you, I…"

But Misaki didn't hear what else he said; she was already asleep.


End file.
